Industrial automation project library cross sharing

ABSTRACT

An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) provides a development framework for designing, programming, and configuring multiple aspects of an industrial automation system using a common design environment and data model. Projects creating using embodiments of the IDE system can be built on an object-based model rather than, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end, the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve as building blocks for this object-based development structure. These automation objects represent corresponding physical industrial assets and have associated programmatic attributes relating to those assets. Automation objects can be maintained in shared libraries that can be referenced by system projects. The IDE system can notify projects that reference these automation objects of updates to the object libraries, including edits to existing objects or addition of new objects.

BACKGROUND

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to industrialautomation systems, and, for example, to industrial programmingdevelopment platforms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects described herein. This summary is not anextensive overview nor is intended to identify key/critical elements orto delineate the scope of the various aspects described herein. Its solepurpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude tothe more detailed description that is presented later.

In one or more embodiments, a system for developing industrialapplications is provided, comprising a memory that stores executablecomponents and shared libraries of automation objects representingrespective industrial assets, the automation objects having respectiveprogrammatic attributes associated with the industrial assets; a userinterface component configured to render integrated developmentenvironment (IDE) interfaces and to receive, via interaction with theIDE interfaces, design input that defines aspects of an industrialautomation project; and a project generation component configured togenerate system project data based on the design input, the systemproject data comprising instances of one or more of the automationobjects stored in one or more of the shared libraries to which thesystem project is mapped, wherein the system project data defines asystem project comprising at least one of an executable industrialcontrol program, an industrial visualization application, or industrialdevice configuration data, and the project generation component isconfigured to, in response to receipt of an edit to an automation objectin one of the shared libraries: determine whether an instance of theautomation object is included in the system project data, and cause theuser interface component to render, via one or more of the IDEinterfaces, a notification indicating that the automation object hasbeen edited in the library.

Also, one or more embodiments provide a method for developing industrialapplications, comprising rendering, by a system comprising a processor,integrated development environment (IDE) interfaces on a client device;receiving, by the system via interaction with the IDE interfaces, designinput that defines aspects of an industrial control and monitoringproject; generating, by the system, system project data based on thedesign input, the system project data comprising instances of one ormore of the automation objects stored in one or more shared libraries ofautomation objects, wherein the generating comprises generating at leastone of an executable industrial control program, an industrialvisualization application, or industrial device configuration data; andin response to receipt of an edit to an automation object in a libraryof the shared libraries: determining, by the system, whether an instanceof the automation object is included in the system project data, andrendering, by the system via one or more of the IDE interfaces, anotification indicating that the automation object has been edited inthe library.

Also, according to one or more embodiments, a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium is provided having stored thereon instructionsthat, in response to execution, cause a system to perform operations,the operations comprising rendering integrated development environment(IDE) interfaces on a client device; receiving, from the client devicevia interaction with the IDE interfaces, design input that definescontrol design aspects of an industrial automation project; generatingsystem project data based on the design input, wherein the generatingcomprises generating at least one of an executable industrial controlprogram, an industrial visualization application, or industrial deviceconfiguration data, and the system project data comprises instances ofautomation objects selected from one or more shared libraries ofautomation objects, the automation objects representing respectiveindustrial assets and having respective programmatic attributes relatingto the industrial assets; and in response to receipt of an edit to anautomation object in a library of the shared libraries: determiningwhether an instance of the automation object is included in the systemproject data, and rendering, via one or more of the IDE interfaces, anotification indicating that the automation object has been edited inthe library.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certainillustrative aspects are described herein in connection with thefollowing description and the annexed drawings. These aspects areindicative of various ways which can be practiced, all of which areintended to be covered herein. Other advantages and novel features maybecome apparent from the following detailed description when consideredin conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example industrial control environment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example integrated developmentenvironment (IDE) system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a generalized architecture of anindustrial IDE system.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating several example automation objectproperties that can be leveraged by an industrial IDE system inconnection with building, deploying, and executing a system project.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating example data flows associated withcreation of a system project for an automation system being designedusing and industrial IDE system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example system project thatincorporates automation objects into a project model.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating commissioning of a system project.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example architecture in whichcloud-based IDE services are used to develop and deploy industrialapplications to a plant environment.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an example automation object that has beenintegrated into the project data model of a system project.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating testing of an example system projectby an IDE system's project testing component using test scripts bundledwith an automation object.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating submission of automation object editsto an IDE system.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating modification of instances of anautomation object in accordance with edits submitted to the masterversion of the automation object stored in a library.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating downloading of a copy of a systemproject from an industrial IDE system to a local client device.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating propagation of automation object editsto a locally stored copy of a system project.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating creation of multiple shared automationobject libraries that can each be accessed by multiple system projects.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating cross-sharing of shared libraries.

FIG. 17 a is a flowchart of a first part of an example methodology forpropagating edits to an automation object to instances of the objectused in one or more system projects.

FIG. 17 b is a flowchart of a second part of the example methodology forpropagating edits to an automation object to instances of the objectused in one or more system projects.

FIG. 18 is an example computing environment.

FIG. 19 is an example networking environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject disclosure is now described with reference to the drawings,wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elementsthroughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the subjectdisclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In otherinstances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagramform in order to facilitate a description thereof.

As used in this application, the terms “component,” “system,”“platform,” “layer,” “controller,” “terminal,” “station,” “node,”“interface” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity or anentity related to, or that is part of, an operational apparatus with oneor more specific functionalities, wherein such entities can be eitherhardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or softwarein execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited tobeing, a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive,multiple storage drives (of optical or magnetic storage medium)including affixed (e.g., screwed or bolted) or removable affixedsolid-state storage drives; an object; an executable; a thread ofexecution; a computer-executable program, and/or a computer. By way ofillustration, both an application running on a server and the server canbe a component. One or more components can reside within a processand/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on onecomputer and/or distributed between two or more computers. Also,components as described herein can execute from various computerreadable storage media having various data structures stored thereon.The components may communicate via local and/or remote processes such asin accordance with a signal having one or more data packets (e.g., datafrom one component interacting with another component in a local system,distributed system, and/or across a network such as the Internet withother systems via the signal). As another example, a component can be anapparatus with specific functionality provided by mechanical partsoperated by electric or electronic circuitry which is operated by asoftware or a firmware application executed by a processor, wherein theprocessor can be internal or external to the apparatus and executes atleast a part of the software or firmware application. As yet anotherexample, a component can be an apparatus that provides specificfunctionality through electronic components without mechanical parts,the electronic components can include a processor therein to executesoftware or firmware that provides at least in part the functionality ofthe electronic components. As further yet another example, interface(s)can include input/output (I/O) components as well as associatedprocessor, application, or Application Programming Interface (API)components. While the foregoing examples are directed to aspects of acomponent, the exemplified aspects or features also apply to a system,platform, interface, layer, controller, terminal, and the like.

As used herein, the terms “to infer” and “inference” refer generally tothe process of reasoning about or inferring states of the system,environment, and/or user from a set of observations as captured viaevents and/or data. Inference can be employed to identify a specificcontext or action, or can generate a probability distribution overstates, for example. The inference can be probabilistic—that is, thecomputation of a probability distribution over states of interest basedon a consideration of data and events. Inference can also refer totechniques employed for composing higher-level events from a set ofevents and/or data. Such inference results in the construction of newevents or actions from a set of observed events and/or stored eventdata, whether or not the events are correlated in close temporalproximity, and whether the events and data come from one or severalevent and data sources.

In addition, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” ratherthan an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clearfrom the context, the phrase “X employs A or B” is intended to mean anyof the natural inclusive permutations. That is, the phrase “X employs Aor B” is satisfied by any of the following instances: X employs A; Xemploys B; or X employs both A and B. In addition, the articles “a” and“an” as used in this application and the appended claims shouldgenerally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwiseor clear from the context to be directed to a singular form.

Furthermore, the term “set” as employed herein excludes the empty set;e.g., the set with no elements therein. Thus, a “set” in the subjectdisclosure includes one or more elements or entities. As anillustration, a set of controllers includes one or more controllers; aset of data resources includes one or more data resources; etc.Likewise, the term “group” as utilized herein refers to a collection ofone or more entities; e.g., a group of nodes refers to one or morenodes.

Various aspects or features will be presented in terms of systems thatmay include a number of devices, components, modules, and the like. Itis to be understood and appreciated that the various systems may includeadditional devices, components, modules, etc. and/or may not include allof the devices, components, modules etc. discussed in connection withthe figures. A combination of these approaches also can be used.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example industrial control environment100. In this example, a number of industrial controllers 118 aredeployed throughout an industrial plant environment to monitor andcontrol respective industrial systems or processes relating to productmanufacture, machining, motion control, batch processing, materialhandling, or other such industrial functions. Industrial controllers 118typically execute respective control programs to facilitate monitoringand control of industrial devices 120 making up the controlledindustrial assets or systems (e.g., industrial machines). One or moreindustrial controllers 118 may also comprise a soft controller executedon a personal computer or other hardware platform, or on a cloudplatform. Some hybrid devices may also combine controller functionalitywith other functions (e.g., visualization). The control programsexecuted by industrial controllers 118 can comprise substantially anytype of code capable of processing input signals read from theindustrial devices 120 and controlling output signals generated by theindustrial controllers 118, including but not limited to ladder logic,sequential function charts, function block diagrams, or structured text.

Industrial devices 120 may include both input devices that provide datarelating to the controlled industrial systems to the industrialcontrollers 118, and output devices that respond to control signalsgenerated by the industrial controllers 118 to control aspects of theindustrial systems. Example input devices can include telemetry devices(e.g., temperature sensors, flow meters, level sensors, pressuresensors, etc.), manual operator control devices (e.g., push buttons,selector switches, etc.), safety monitoring devices (e.g., safety mats,safety pull cords, light curtains, etc.), and other such devices. Outputdevices may include motor drives, pneumatic actuators, signalingdevices, robot control inputs, valves, pumps, and the like.

Industrial controllers 118 may communicatively interface with industrialdevices 120 over hardwired or networked connections. For example,industrial controllers 118 can be equipped with native hardwired inputsand outputs that communicate with the industrial devices 120 to effectcontrol of the devices. The native controller I/O can include digitalI/O that transmits and receives discrete voltage signals to and from thefield devices, or analog I/O that transmits and receives analog voltageor current signals to and from the devices. The controller I/O cancommunicate with a controller's processor over a backplane such that thedigital and analog signals can be read into and controlled by thecontrol programs. Industrial controllers 118 can also communicate withindustrial devices 120 over a network using, for example, acommunication module or an integrated networking port. Exemplarynetworks can include the Internet, intranets, Ethernet, DeviceNet,ControlNet, Data Highway and Data Highway Plus (DH/DH+), Remote I/O,Fieldbus, Modbus, Profibus, wireless networks, serial protocols, and thelike. The industrial controllers 118 can also store persisted datavalues that can be referenced by their associated control programs andused for control decisions, including but not limited to measured orcalculated values representing operational states of a controlledmachine or process (e.g., tank levels, positions, alarms, etc.) orcaptured time series data that is collected during operation of theautomation system (e.g., status information for multiple points in time,diagnostic occurrences, etc.). Similarly, some intelligentdevices—including but not limited to motor drives, instruments, orcondition monitoring modules—may store data values that are used forcontrol and/or to visualize states of operation. Such devices may alsocapture time-series data or events on a log for later retrieval andviewing.

Industrial automation systems often include one or more human-machineinterfaces (HMIs) 114 that allow plant personnel to view telemetry andstatus data associated with the automation systems, and to control someaspects of system operation. HMIs 114 may communicate with one or moreof the industrial controllers 118 over a plant network 116, and exchangedata with the industrial controllers to facilitate visualization ofinformation relating to the controlled industrial processes on one ormore pre-developed operator interface screens. HMIs 114 can also beconfigured to allow operators to submit data to specified data tags ormemory addresses of the industrial controllers 118, thereby providing ameans for operators to issue commands to the controlled systems (e.g.,cycle start commands, device actuation commands, etc.), to modifysetpoint values, etc. HMIs 114 can generate one or more display screensthrough which the operator interacts with the industrial controllers118, and thereby with the controlled processes and/or systems. Exampledisplay screens can visualize present states of industrial systems ortheir associated devices using graphical representations of theprocesses that display metered or calculated values, employ color orposition animations based on state, render alarm notifications, oremploy other such techniques for presenting relevant data to theoperator. Data presented in this manner is read from industrialcontrollers 118 by HMIs 114 and presented on one or more of the displayscreens according to display formats chosen by the HMI developer. HMIsmay comprise fixed location or mobile devices with either user-installedor pre-installed operating systems, and either user-installed orpre-installed graphical application software.

Some industrial environments may also include other systems or devicesrelating to specific aspects of the controlled industrial systems. Thesemay include, for example, a data historian 110 that aggregates andstores production information collected from the industrial controllers118 or other data sources, device documentation stores containingelectronic documentation for the various industrial devices making upthe controlled industrial systems, inventory tracking systems, workorder management systems, repositories for machine or process drawingsand documentation, vendor product documentation storage, vendorknowledgebases, internal knowledgebases, work scheduling applications,or other such systems, some or all of which may reside on an officenetwork 108 of the industrial environment.

Higher-level systems 126 may carry out functions that are less directlyrelated to control of the industrial automation systems on the plantfloor, and instead are directed to long term planning, high-levelsupervisory control, analytics, reporting, or other such high-levelfunctions. These systems 126 may reside on the office network 108 at anexternal location relative to the plant facility, or on a cloud platformwith access to the office and/or plant networks. Higher-level systems126 may include, but are not limited to, cloud storage and analysissystems, big data analysis systems, manufacturing execution systems,data lakes, reporting systems, etc. In some scenarios, applicationsrunning at these higher levels of the enterprise may be configured toanalyze control system operational data, and the results of thisanalysis may be fed back to an operator at the control system ordirectly to a controller 118 or device 120 in the control system.

The various control, monitoring, and analytical devices that make up anindustrial environment must be programmed or configured using respectiveconfiguration applications specific to each device. For example,industrial controllers 118 are typically configured and programmed usinga control programming development application such as a ladder logiceditor (e.g., executing on a client device 124). Using such developmentplatforms, a designer can write control programming (e.g., ladder logic,structured text, function block diagrams, etc.) for carrying out adesired industrial sequence or process and download the resultingprogram files to the controller 118. Separately, developers designvisualization screens and associated navigation structures for HMIs 114using an HMI development platform (e.g., executing on client device 122)and download the resulting visualization files to the HMI 114. Someindustrial devices 120—such as motor drives, telemetry devices, safetyinput devices, etc.—may also require configuration using separate deviceconfiguration tools (e.g., executing on client device 128) that arespecific to the device being configured. Such device configuration toolsmay be used to set device parameters or operating modes (e.g., high/lowlimits, output signal formats, scale factors, energy consumption modes,etc.).

The necessity of using separate configuration tools to program andconfigure disparate aspects of an industrial automation system resultsin a piecemeal design approach whereby different but related oroverlapping aspects of an automation system are designed, configured,and programmed separately on different development environments. Forexample, a motion control system may require an industrial controller tobe programmed and a control loop to be tuned using a control logicprogramming platform, a motor drive to be configured using anotherconfiguration platform, and an associated HMI to be programmed using avisualization development platform. Related peripheral systems—such asvision systems, safety systems, etc.—may also require configurationusing separate programming or development applications.

This segregated development approach can also necessitate considerabletesting and debugging efforts to ensure proper integration of theseparately configured system aspects. In this regard, intended datainterfacing or coordinated actions between the different system aspectsmay require significant debugging due to a failure to properlycoordinate disparate programming efforts.

To address at least some of these or other issues, one or moreembodiments described herein provide an integrated developmentenvironment (IDE) for designing, programming, and configuring multipleaspects of an industrial automation system using a common designenvironment and data model. Embodiments of the industrial IDE can beused to configure and manage automation system devices in a common way,facilitating integrated, multi-discipline programming of control,visualization, and other aspects of the control system.

In general, the industrial IDE supports features that span the fullautomation lifecycle, including design (e.g., device selection andsizing, controller programming, visualization development, deviceconfiguration, testing, etc.); installation, configuration andcommissioning; operation, improvement, and administration; andtroubleshooting, expanding, and upgrading.

Embodiments of the industrial IDE can include a library of modular codeand visualizations that are specific to industry verticals and commonindustrial applications within those verticals. These code andvisualization modules can simplify development and shorten thedevelopment cycle, while also supporting consistency and reuse across anindustrial enterprise.

To support enhance development capabilities, projects creating usingembodiments of the IDE system can be built on an object-based modelrather than, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end,the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve asbuilding blocks for this object-based development structure. To ensureconsistency within and between projects, as well as to ensure that agiven industrial project is dynamically updated to reflect changes to anindustrial asset's attributes (e.g., control code, visualizationdefinitions, testing scripts, analytic code, etc.), embodiments of theIDE system can use automation object inheritance features to propagatechanges made to an automation object definition to all instances of theautomation object used throughout a control project.

The IDE system can also support creation of multiple shared libraries ofautomation objects or other project components. This allows users tocreate one or more custom libraries of project components, which can bebuilt from existing project components from other libraries or populatedwith new custom components. Projects can then reference one or more ofthese shared libraries so that components in those libraries can beselectively imported into those projects. Notification features caninform users whose projects reference a shared library when an object orcomponent within that library has been updated by one of the users. Eachuser can then opt to either synchronize the object or componentmodification to their own project, or decline synchronization of themodification to their project.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example integrated developmentenvironment (IDE) system 202 according to one or more embodiments ofthis disclosure. Aspects of the systems, apparatuses, or processesexplained in this disclosure can constitute machine-executablecomponents embodied within machine(s), e.g., embodied in one or morecomputer-readable mediums (or media) associated with one or moremachines. Such components, when executed by one or more machines, e.g.,computer(s), computing device(s), automation device(s), virtualmachine(s), etc., can cause the machine(s) to perform the operationsdescribed.

IDE system 202 can include a user interface component 204 including anIDE editor 224, a project generation component 206, a project deploymentcomponent 208, a project testing component 210, a collaborationmanagement component 212, one or more processors 218, and memory 220. Invarious embodiments, one or more of the user interface component 204,project generation component 206, project deployment component 208,project testing component 210, collaboration management component 212,the one or more processors 218, and memory 220 can be electricallyand/or communicatively coupled to one another to perform one or more ofthe functions of the IDE system 202. In some embodiments, components204, 206, 208, 210, and 212 can comprise software instructions stored onmemory 220 and executed by processor(s) 218. IDE system 202 may alsointeract with other hardware and/or software components not depicted inFIG. 2 . For example, processor(s) 218 may interact with one or moreexternal user interface devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a displaymonitor, a touchscreen, or other such interface devices.

User interface component 204 can be configured to receive user input andto render output to the user in any suitable format (e.g., visual,audio, tactile, etc.). In some embodiments, user interface component 204can be configured to communicatively interface with an IDE client thatexecutes on a client device (e.g., a laptop computer, tablet computer,smart phone, etc.) that is communicatively connected to the IDE system202 (e.g., via a hardwired or wireless connection). The user interfacecomponent 204 can then receive user input data and render output datavia the IDE client. In other embodiments, user interface component 314can be configured to generate and serve suitable interface screens to aclient device (e.g., program development screens), and exchange data viathese interface screens. Input data that can be received via variousembodiments of user interface component 204 can include, but is notlimited to, programming code, industrial design specifications or goals,engineering drawings, AR/VR input, DSL definitions, video or image data,project testing scripts, or other such input. Output data rendered byvarious embodiments of user interface component 204 can include programcode, programming feedback (e.g., error and highlighting, codingsuggestions, etc.), programming and visualization development screens,project testing results, etc.

Project generation component 206 can be configured to create a systemproject comprising one or more project files based on design inputreceived via the user interface component 204, as well as industrialknowledge, predefined code modules and visualizations, and automationobjects 222 maintained by the IDE system 202. Project deploymentcomponent 208 can be configured to commission the system project createdby the project generation component 206 to appropriate industrialdevices (e.g., controllers, HMI terminals, motor drives, AR/VR systems,etc.) for execution. To this end, project deployment component 208 canidentify the appropriate target devices to which respective portions ofthe system project should be sent for execution, translate theserespective portions to formats understandable by the target devices, anddeploy the translated project components to their corresponding devices.

Project testing component 210 can be configured to execute testingscripts associated with automation objects 222 or other elements of thesystem project to validate proper execution of various aspects of theproject. Collaboration management component 212 can be configured totrack instances of a system project that have been downloaded to localclient devices so that these local versions of the project can beupdated as needed in response to modifications submitted to thecloud-based IDE system.

The one or more processors 218 can perform one or more of the functionsdescribed herein with reference to the systems and/or methods disclosed.Memory 220 can be a computer-readable storage medium storingcomputer-executable instructions and/or information for performing thefunctions described herein with reference to the systems and/or methodsdisclosed.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a generalized architecture of theindustrial IDE system 202 according to one or more embodiments.Industrial IDE system 202 can implement a common set of services andworkflows spanning not only design, but also commissioning, operation,and maintenance. In terms of design, the IDE system 202 can support notonly industrial controller programming and HMI development, but alsosizing and selection of system components, device/system configuration,AR/VR visualizations, and other features. The IDE system 202 can alsoinclude tools that simplify and automate commissioning of the resultingproject and assist with subsequent administration of the deployed systemduring runtime.

Embodiments of the IDE system 202 that are implemented on a cloudplatform also facilitate collaborative project development wherebymultiple developers 304 contribute design and programming input to acommon automation system project 302. Collaborative tools supported bythe IDE system can manage design contributions from the multiplecontributors and perform version control of the aggregate system project302 to ensure project consistency.

Based on design and programming input from one or more developers 304,IDE system 202 generates a system project 302 comprising one or moreproject files. The system project 302 encodes one or more of controlprogramming; HMI, AR, and/or VR visualizations; device or sub-systemconfiguration data (e.g., drive parameters, vision systemconfigurations, telemetry device parameters, safety zone definitions,etc.); or other such aspects of an industrial automation system beingdesigned. IDE system 202 can identify the appropriate target devices 306on which respective aspects of the system project 302 should be executed(e.g., industrial controllers, HMI terminals, variable frequency drives,safety devices, etc.), translate the system project 302 to executablefiles that can be executed on the respective target devices, and deploythe executable files to their corresponding target devices 306 forexecution, thereby commissioning the system project 302 to the plantfloor for implementation of the automation project.

To support enhanced development capabilities, some embodiments of IDEsystem 202 can be built on an object-based data model rather than, or inaddition to, a tag-based architecture. Automation objects 222 serve asthe building block for this object-based development architecture. FIG.4 is a diagram illustrating several example automation object propertiesthat can be leveraged by the IDE system 202 in connection with building,deploying, and executing a system project 302. Automation objects 222can be created and augmented during design, integrated into larger datamodels, and consumed during runtime. These automation objects 222provide a common data structure across the IDE system 202 and can bestored in an object library (e.g., part of memory 220) for reuse. Theobject library can store predefined automation objects 222 representingvarious classifications of real-world industrial assets 402, includingbut not limited to pumps, tanks, values, motors, motor drives (e.g.,variable frequency drives), industrial robots, actuators (e.g.,pneumatic or hydraulic actuators), or other such assets. Automationobjects 222 can represent elements at substantially any level of anindustrial enterprise, including individual devices, machines made up ofmany industrial devices and components (some of which may be associatedwith their own automation objects 222), and entire production lines orprocess control systems.

An automation object 222 for a given type of industrial asset can encodesuch aspects as 2D or 3D visualizations, alarms, control coding (e.g.,logic or other type of control programming), analytics, startupprocedures, testing protocols and scripts, validation reports,simulations, schematics, security protocols, and other such propertiesassociated with the industrial asset 402 represented by the object 222.Automation objects 222 can also be geotagged with location informationidentifying the location of the associated asset. During runtime of thesystem project 302, the automation object 222 corresponding to a givenreal-world asset 402 can also record status or operational history datafor the asset. In general, automation objects 222 serve as programmaticrepresentations of their corresponding industrial assets 402, and can beincorporated into a system project 302 as elements of control code, a 2Dor 3D visualization, a knowledgebase or maintenance guidance system forthe industrial assets, or other such aspects. Also, as will be discussedin more detail below, automation objects 222 can support inheritance,such that changes to any of the attributes of an automation object 222discussed above are automatically propagated to instances of theautomation object used throughout a system project 302.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating example data flows associated withcreation of a system project 302 for an automation system being designedusing IDE system 202 according to one or more embodiments. A clientdevice 504 (e.g., a laptop computer, tablet computer, desktop computer,mobile device, wearable AR/VR appliance, etc.) executing an IDE clientapplication 514 can access the IDE system's project development toolsand leverage these tools to create a comprehensive system project 302for an automation system being developed. Through interaction with thesystem's user interface component 204, developers can submit designinput 512 to the IDE system 202 in various supported formats, includingindustry-specific control programming (e.g., control logic, structuredtext, sequential function charts, etc.) and HMI screen configurationinput. Based on this design input 512 and information stored in anindustry knowledgebase (predefined code modules 508 and visualizations510, guardrail templates 506, physics-based rules 516, etc.), userinterface component 204 renders design feedback 518 designed to assistthe developer in connection with developing a system project 302 forconfiguration, control, and visualization of an industrial automationsystem.

In addition to control programming and visualization definitions, someembodiments of IDE system 202 can be configured to receive digitalengineering drawings (e.g., computer-aided design (CAD) files) as designinput 512. In such embodiments, project generation component 206 cangenerate portions of the system project 302—e.g., by automaticallygenerating control and/or visualization code—based on analysis ofexisting design drawings. Drawings that can be submitted as design input512 can include, but are not limited to, P&ID drawings, mechanicaldrawings, flow diagrams, or other such documents. For example, a P&IDdrawing can be imported into the IDE system 202, and project generationcomponent 206 can identify elements (e.g., tanks, pumps, etc.) andrelationships therebetween conveyed by the drawings. Project generationcomponent 206 can associate or map elements identified in the drawingswith appropriate automation objects 222 corresponding to these elements(e.g., tanks, pumps, etc.) and add these automation objects 222 to thesystem project 302. The device-specific and asset-specific automationobjects 222 include suitable code and visualizations to be associatedwith the elements identified in the drawings. In general, the IDE system202 can examine one or more different types of drawings (mechanical,electrical, piping, etc.) to determine relationships between devices,machines, and/or assets (including identifying common elements acrossdifferent drawings) and intelligently associate these elements withappropriate automation objects 222, code modules 508, and/orvisualizations 510. The IDE system 202 can leverage physics-based rules516 as well as pre-defined code modules 508 and visualizations 510 asnecessary in connection with generating code or project data for systemproject 302.

The IDE system 202 can also determine whether pre-defined visualizationcontent is available for any of the objects discovered in the drawingsand generate appropriate HMI screens or AR/VR content for the discoveredobjects based on these pre-defined visualizations. To this end, the IDEsystem 202 can store industry-specific, asset-specific, and/orapplication-specific visualizations 510 that can be accessed by theproject generation component 206 as needed. These visualizations 510 canbe classified according to industry or industrial vertical (e.g.,automotive, food and drug, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, etc.), type ofindustrial asset (e.g., a type of machine or industrial device), a typeof industrial application (e.g., batch processing, flow control, webtension control, sheet metal stamping, water treatment, etc.), or othersuch categories. Predefined visualizations 510 can comprisevisualizations in a variety of formats, including but not limited to HMIscreens or windows, mashups that aggregate data from multiplepre-specified sources, AR overlays, VR objects representing 3Dvirtualizations of the associated industrial asset, or other suchvisualization formats. IDE system 202 can select a suitablevisualization for a given object based on a predefined associationbetween the object type and the visualization content.

In another example, markings applied to an engineering drawing by a usercan be understood by some embodiments of the project generationcomponent 206 to convey a specific design intention or parameter. Forexample, a marking in red pen can be understood to indicate a safetyzone, two circles connected by a dashed line can be interpreted as agearing relationship, and a bold line may indicate a cammingrelationship. In this way, a designer can sketch out design goals on anexisting drawing in a manner that can be understood and leveraged by theIDE system 202 to generate code and visualizations. In another example,the project generation component 206 can learn permissives andinterlocks (e.g., valves and their associated states) that serve asnecessary preconditions for starting a machine based on analysis of theuser's CAD drawings. Project generation component 206 can generate anysuitable code (ladder logic, function blocks, etc.), deviceconfigurations, and visualizations based on analysis of these drawingsand markings for incorporation into system project 302. In someembodiments, user interface component 204 can include design tools fordeveloping engineering drawings within the IDE platform itself, and theproject generation component 206 can generate this code as a backgroundprocess as the user is creating the drawings for a new project. In someembodiments, project generation component 206 can also translate statemachine drawings to a corresponding programming sequence, yielding atleast skeletal code that can be enhanced by the developer withadditional programming details as needed.

Also, or in addition, some embodiments of IDE system 202 can supportgoal-based automated programming For example, the user interfacecomponent 204 can allow the user to specify production goals for anautomation system being designed (e.g., specifying that a bottling plantbeing designed must be capable of producing at least 5000 bottles persecond during normal operation) and any other relevant designconstraints applied to the design project (e.g., budget limitations,available floor space, available control cabinet space, etc.). Based onthis information, the project generation component 206 will generateportions of the system project 302 to satisfy the specified design goalsand constraints. Portions of the system project 302 that can begenerated in this manner can include, but are not limited to, device andequipment selections (e.g., definitions of how many pumps, controllers,stations, conveyors, drives, or other assets will be needed to satisfythe specified goal), associated device configurations (e.g., tuningparameters, network settings, drive parameters, etc.), control coding,or HMI screens suitable for visualizing the automation system beingdesigned.

Some embodiments of the project generation component 206 can alsogenerate at least some of the project code for system project 302 basedon knowledge of parts that have been ordered for the project beingdeveloped. This can involve accessing the customer's account informationmaintained by an equipment vendor to identify devices that have beenpurchased for the project. Based on this information the projectgeneration component 206 can add appropriate automation objects 222 andassociated code modules 508 corresponding to the purchased assets,thereby providing a starting point for project development.

Some embodiments of project generation component 206 can also monitorcustomer-specific design approaches for commonly programmed functions(e.g., pumping applications, batch processes, palletizing operations,etc.) and generate recommendations for design modules (e.g., codemodules 508, visualizations 510, etc.) that the user may wish toincorporate into a current design project based on an inference of thedesigner's goals and learned approaches to achieving the goal. To thisend, some embodiments of project generation component 206 can beconfigured to monitor design input 512 over time and, based on thismonitoring, learn correlations between certain design actions (e.g.,addition of certain code modules or snippets to design projects,selection of certain visualizations, etc.) and types of industrialassets, industrial sequences, or industrial processes being designed.Project generation component 206 can record these learned correlationsand generate recommendations during subsequent project developmentsessions based on these correlations. For example, if project generationcomponent 206 determines, based on analysis of design input 512, that adesigner is currently developing a control project involving a type ofindustrial equipment that has been programmed and/or visualized in thepast in a repeated, predictable manner, the project generation component206 can instruct user interface component 204 to render recommendeddevelopment steps or code modules 508 the designer may wish toincorporate into the system project 302 based on how this equipment wasconfigured and/or programmed in the past.

In some embodiments, IDE system 202 can also store and implementguardrail templates 506 that define design guardrails intended to ensurethe project's compliance with internal or external design standards.Based on design parameters defined by one or more selected guardrailtemplates 506, user interface component 204 can provide, as a subset ofdesign feedback 518, dynamic recommendations or other types of feedbackdesigned to guide the developer in a manner that ensures compliance ofthe system project 302 with internal or external requirements orstandards (e.g., certifications such as TUV certification, in-housedesign standards, industry-specific or vertical-specific designstandards, etc.). This feedback 518 can take the form of text-basedrecommendations (e.g., recommendations to rewrite an indicated portionof control code to comply with a defined programming standard), syntaxhighlighting, error highlighting, auto-completion of code snippets, orother such formats. In this way, IDE system 202 can customize designfeedback 518—including programming recommendations, recommendations ofpredefined code modules 508 or visualizations 510, error and syntaxhighlighting, etc.—in accordance with the type of industrial systembeing developed and any applicable in-house design standards.

Guardrail templates 506 can also be designed to maintain compliance withglobal best practices applicable to control programming or other aspectsof project development. For example, user interface component 204 maygenerate and render an alert if a developer's control programing isdeemed to be too complex as defined by criteria specified by one or moreguardrail templates 506. Since different verticals (e.g., automotive,pharmaceutical, oil and gas, food and drug, marine, etc.) must adhere todifferent standards and certifications, the IDE system 202 can maintaina library of guardrail templates 506 for different internal and externalstandards and certifications, including customized user-specificguardrail templates 506. These guardrail templates 506 can be classifiedaccording to industrial vertical, type of industrial application, plantfacility (in the case of custom in-house guardrail templates 506) orother such categories. During development, project generation component206 can select and apply a subset of guardrail templates 506 determinedto be relevant to the project currently being developed, based on adetermination of such aspects as the industrial vertical to which theproject relates, the type of industrial application being programmed(e.g., flow control, web tension control, a certain batch process,etc.), or other such aspects. Project generation component 206 canleverage guardrail templates 506 to implement rules-based programming,whereby programming feedback (a subset of design feedback 518) such asdynamic intelligent autocorrection, type-aheads, or coding suggestionsare rendered based on encoded industry expertise and best practices(e.g., identifying inefficiencies in code being developed andrecommending appropriate corrections).

Users can also run their own internal guardrail templates 506 againstcode provided by outside vendors (e.g., OEMs) to ensure that this codecomplies with in-house programming standards. In such scenarios,vendor-provided code can be submitted to the IDE system 202, and projectgeneration component 206 can analyze this code in view of in-housecoding standards specified by one or more custom guardrail templates506. Based on results of this analysis, user interface component 204 canindicate portions of the vendor-provided code (e.g., using highlights,overlaid text, etc.) that do not conform to the programming standardsset forth by the guardrail templates 506, and display suggestions formodifying the code in order to bring the code into compliance. As analternative or in addition to recommending these modifications, someembodiments of project generation component 206 can be configured toautomatically modify the code in accordance with the recommendations tobring the code into conformance.

In making coding suggestions as part of design feedback 518, projectgeneration component 206 can invoke selected code modules 508 stored ina code module database or selected automation objects 222 stored in anautomation object library 502 (e.g., on memory 220). Code modules 508comprise standardized coding segments for controlling common industrialtasks or applications (e.g., palletizing, flow control, web tensioncontrol, pick-and-place applications, conveyor control, etc.).Similarly, automation objects 222 representing respective industrialassets may have associated therewith standardize control code formonitoring and controlling their respective assets. In some embodiments,code modules 508 and/or automation objects 222 can be categorizedaccording to one or more of an industrial vertical (e.g., automotive,food and drug, oil and gas, textiles, marine, pharmaceutical, etc.), anindustrial application, or a type of machine or device to which the codemodule 508 or automation object 222 is applicable.

In some embodiments, project generation component 206 can infer aprogrammer's current programming task or design goal based onprogrammatic input being provided by the programmer (as a subset ofdesign input 512), and determine, based on this task or goal, whetherone of the pre-defined code modules 508 or automation objects 222 may beappropriately added to the control program being developed to achievethe inferred task or goal. For example, project generation component 206may infer, based on analysis of design input 512, that the programmer iscurrently developing control code for transferring material from a firsttank to another tank, and in response, recommend inclusion of apredefined code module 508 comprising standardized or frequentlyutilized code for controlling the valves, pumps, or other assetsnecessary to achieve the material transfer. Similarly, the projectgeneration component 206 may recommend inclusion of an automation object222 representing one of the tanks, or one of the other industrial assetsinvolved in transferring the material (e.g., a valve, a pump, etc.),where the recommended automation object 222 includes associated controlcode for controlling its associated asset as well as a visualizationobject that can be used to visualize the asset on an HMI application oranother visualization application.

Customized guardrail templates 506 can also be defined to capturenuances of a customer site that should be taken into consideration inthe project design. For example, a guardrail template 506 could recordthe fact that the automation system being designed will be installed ina region where power outages are common, and will factor thisconsideration when generating design feedback 518; e.g., by recommendingimplementation of backup uninterruptable power supplies and suggestinghow these should be incorporated, as well as recommending associatedprogramming or control strategies that take these outages into account.

IDE system 202 can also use guardrail templates 506 to guide userselection of equipment or devices for a given design goal; e.g., basedon the industrial vertical, type of control application (e.g., sheetmetal stamping, die casting, palletization, conveyor control, webtension control, batch processing, etc.), budgetary constraints for theproject, physical constraints at the installation site (e.g., availablefloor, wall or cabinet space; dimensions of the installation space;etc.), equipment already existing at the site, etc. Some or all of theseparameters and constraints can be provided as design input 512, and userinterface component 204 can render the equipment recommendations as asubset of design feedback 518. In conjunction with this equipmentrecommendation, the project generation component 206 can also recommendinclusion of corresponding automation objects 222 representing therecommended equipment for inclusion in the system project 302.

In some embodiments, project generation component 206 can also determinewhether some or all existing equipment can be repurposed for the newcontrol system being designed. For example, if a new bottling line is tobe added to a production area, there may be an opportunity to leverageexisting equipment since some bottling lines already exist. The decisionas to which devices and equipment can be reused will affect the designof the new control system. Accordingly, some of the design input 512provided to the IDE system 202 can include specifics of the customer'sexisting systems within or near the installation site. In someembodiments, project generation component 206 can apply artificialintelligence (AI) or traditional analytic approaches to this informationto determine whether existing equipment specified in design in put 512can be repurposed or leveraged. Based on results of this analysis,project generation component 206 can generate, as design feedback 518, alist of any new equipment that may need to be purchased based on thesedecisions.

In some embodiments, IDE system 202 can offer design recommendationsbased on an understanding of the physical environment within which theautomation system being designed will be installed. To this end,information regarding the physical environment can be submitted to theIDE system 202 (as part of design input 512) in the form of 2D or 3Dimages or video of the plant environment. This environmental informationcan also be obtained from an existing digital twin of the plant, or byanalysis of scanned environmental data obtained by a wearable ARappliance in some embodiments. Project generation component 206 cananalyze this image, video, or digital twin data to identify physicalelements within the installation area (e.g., walls, girders, safetyfences, existing machines and devices, etc.) and physical relationshipsbetween these elements. This can include ascertaining distances betweenmachines, lengths of piping runs, locations and distances of wiringharnesses or cable trays, etc. Based on results of this analysis,project generation component 206 can add context to schematics generatedas part of system project 302, generate recommendations regardingoptimal locations for devices or machines (e.g., recommending a minimumseparation between power and data cables), or make other refinements tothe system project 302. At least some of this design data can begenerated based on physics-based rules 516, which can be referenced byproject generation component 206 to determine such physical designspecifications as minimum safe distances from hazardous equipment (whichmay also factor into determining suitable locations for installation ofsafety devices relative to this equipment, given expected human orvehicle reaction times defined by the physics-based rules 516), materialselections capable of withstanding expected loads, piping configurationsand tuning for a specified flow control application, wiring gaugessuitable for an expected electrical load, minimum distances betweensignal wiring and electromagnetic field (EMF) sources to ensurenegligible electrical interference on data signals, or other such designfeatures that are dependent on physical rules.

In an example use case, relative locations of machines and devicesspecified by physical environment information submitted to the IDEsystem 202 can be used by the project generation component 206 togenerate design data for an industrial safety system. For example,project generation component 206 can analyze distance measurementsbetween safety equipment and hazardous machines and, based on thesemeasurements, determine suitable placements and configurations of safetydevices and associated safety controllers that ensure the machine willshut down within a sufficient safety reaction time to prevent injury(e.g., in the event that a person runs through a light curtain).

In some embodiments, project generation component 206 can also analyzephotographic or video data of an existing machine to determine inlinemechanical properties such as gearing or camming and factor thisinformation into one or more guardrail templates 506 or designrecommendations.

As noted above, the system project 302 generated by IDE system 202 for agiven automaton system being designed can be built upon an object-basedarchitecture that uses automation objects 222 as building blocks. FIG. 6is a diagram illustrating an example system project 302 thatincorporates automation objects 222 into the project model. In thisexample, various automation objects 222 representing analogousindustrial devices, systems, or assets of an automation system (e.g.,processes, tanks, valves, pumps, etc.) have been incorporated intosystem project 302 as elements of a larger project data model 602. Theproject data model 602 also defines hierarchical relationships betweenthese automation objects 222. According to an example relationship, aprocess automation object representing a batch process may be defined asa parent object to a number of child objects representing devices andequipment that carry out the process, such as tanks, pumps, and valves.Each automation object 222 has associated therewith object properties orattributes specific to its corresponding industrial asset (e.g., thosediscussed above in connection with FIG. 4 ), including executablecontrol programming for controlling the asset (or for coordinating theactions of the asset with other industrial assets) and visualizationsthat can be used to render relevant information about the asset duringruntime.

At least some of the attributes of each automation object 222 aredefault properties defined by the IDE system 202 based on encodedindustry expertise pertaining to the asset represented by the objects.These default properties can include, for example, industry-standard orrecommended control code for monitoring and controlling the assetrepresented by the automation object 222, a 2D or 3D graphical objectthat can be used to visualize operational or statistical data for theasset, alarm conditions associated with the asset, analytic or reportingscripts designed to yield actionable insights into the asset's behavior,or other such properties. Other properties can be modified or added bythe developer as needed (via design input 512) to customize theautomation object 222 for the particular asset and/or industrialapplication for which the system projects 302 is being developed. Thiscan include, for example, associating customized control code, HMIscreens, AR presentations, or help files associated with selectedautomation objects 222. In this way, automation objects 222 can becreated and augmented as needed during design for consumption orexecution by target control devices during runtime.

Once development and testing on a system project 302 has been completed,commissioning tools supported by the IDE system 202 can simplify theprocess of commissioning the project in the field. When the systemproject 302 for a given automation system has been completed, the systemproject 302 can be deployed to one or more target control devices forexecution. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating commissioning of a systemproject 302. Project deployment component 208 can compile or otherwisetranslate a completed system project 302 into one or more executablefiles or configuration files that can be stored and executed onrespective target industrial devices of the automation system (e.g.,industrial controllers 118, HMI terminals 114 or other types ofvisualization systems, motor drives 710, telemetry devices, visionsystems, safety relays, etc.).

Conventional control program development platforms require the developerto specify the type of industrial controller (e.g., the controller'smodel number) on which the control program will run prior todevelopment, thereby binding the control programming to a specifiedcontroller. Controller-specific guardrails are then enforced duringprogram development which limit how the program is developed given thecapabilities of the selected controller. By contrast, some embodimentsof the IDE system 202 can abstract project development from the specificcontroller type, allowing the designer to develop the system project 302as a logical representation of the automation system in a manner that isagnostic to where and how the various control aspects of system project302 will run. Once project development is complete and system project302 is ready for commissioning, the user can specify (via user interfacecomponent 204) target devices on which respective aspects of the systemproject 302 are to be executed. In response, an allocation engine of theproject deployment component 208 will translate aspects of the systemproject 302 to respective executable files formatted for storage andexecution on their respective target devices.

For example, system project 302 may include—among other projectaspects—control code, visualization screen definitions, and motor driveparameter definitions. Upon completion of project development, a usercan identify which target devices—including an industrial controller118, an HMI terminal 114, and a motor drive 710—are to execute orreceive these respective aspects of the system project 302. Projectdeployment component 208 can then translate the controller code definedby the system project 302 to a control program file 702 formatted forexecution on the specified industrial controller 118 and send thiscontrol program file 702 to the controller 118 (e.g., via plant network116). Similarly, project deployment component 208 can translate thevisualization definitions and motor drive parameter definitions to avisualization application 704 and a device configuration file 708,respectively, and deploy these files to their respective target devicesfor execution and/or device configuration.

In general, project deployment component 208 performs any conversionsnecessary to allow aspects of system project 302 to execute on thespecified devices. Any inherent relationships, handshakes, or datasharing defined in the system project 302 are maintained regardless ofhow the various elements of the system project 302 are distributed. Inthis way, embodiments of the IDE system 202 can decouple the projectfrom how and where the project is to be run. This also allows the samesystem project 302 to be commissioned at different plant facilitieshaving different sets of control equipment. That is, some embodiments ofthe IDE system 202 can allocate project code to different target devicesas a function of the particular devices found on-site. IDE system 202can also allow some portions of the project file to be commissioned asan emulator or on a cloud-based controller.

As an alternative to having the user specify the target control devicesto which the system project 302 is to be deployed, some embodiments ofIDE system 202 can actively connect to the plant network 116 anddiscover available devices, ascertain the control hardware architecturepresent on the plant floor, infer appropriate target devices forrespective executable aspects of system project 302, and deploy thesystem project 302 to these selected target devices. As part of thiscommissioning process, IDE system 202 can also connect to remoteknowledgebases (e.g., web-based or cloud-based knowledgebases) todetermine which discovered devices are out of date or require firmwareupgrade to properly execute the system project 302. In this way, the IDEsystem 202 can serve as a link between device vendors and a customer'splant ecosystem via a trusted connection in the cloud.

Copies of system project 302 can be propagated to multiple plantfacilities having varying equipment configurations using smartpropagation, whereby the project deployment component 208 intelligentlyassociates project components with the correct industrial asset orcontrol device even if the equipment on-site does not perfectly matchthe defined target (e.g., if different pump types are found at differentsites). For target devices that do not perfectly match the expectedasset, project deployment component 208 can calculate the estimatedimpact of running the system project 302 on non-optimal target equipmentand generate warnings or recommendations for mitigating expecteddeviations from optimal project execution.

As noted above, some embodiments of IDE system 202 can be embodied on acloud platform. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example architecturein which cloud-based IDE services 802 are used to develop and deployindustrial applications to a plant environment. In this example, theindustrial environment includes one or more industrial controllers 118,HMI terminals 114, motor drives 710, servers 801 running higher levelapplications (e.g., ERP, MES, etc.), and other such industrial assets.These industrial assets are connected to a plant network 116 (e.g., acommon industrial protocol network, an Ethernet/IP network, etc.) thatfacilitates data exchange between industrial devices on the plant floor.Plant network 116 may be a wired or a wireless network. In theillustrated example, the high-level servers 810 reside on a separateoffice network 108 that is connected to the plant network 116 (e.g.,through a router 808 or other network infrastructure device).

In this example, IDE system 202 resides on a cloud platform 806 andexecutes as a set of cloud-based IDE service 802 that are accessible toauthorized remote client devices 504. Cloud platform 806 can be anyinfrastructure that allows shared computing services (such as IDEservices 802) to be accessed and utilized by cloud-capable devices.Cloud platform 806 can be a public cloud accessible via the Internet bydevices 504 having Internet connectivity and appropriate authorizationsto utilize the IDE services 802. In some scenarios, cloud platform 806can be provided by a cloud provider as a platform-as-a-service (PaaS),and the IDE services 802 can reside and execute on the cloud platform806 as a cloud-based service. In some such configurations, access to thecloud platform 806 and associated IDE services 802 can be provided tocustomers as a subscription service by an owner of the IDE services 802.Alternatively, cloud platform 806 can be a private cloud operatedinternally by the industrial enterprise (the owner of the plantfacility). An example private cloud platform can comprise a set ofservers hosting the IDE services 802 and residing on a corporate networkprotected by a firewall.

Cloud-based implementations of IDE system 202 can facilitatecollaborative development by multiple remote developers who areauthorized to access the IDE services 802. When a system project 302 isready for deployment, the project 302 can be commissioned to the plantfacility via a secure connection between the office network 108 or theplant network 116 and the cloud platform 806. As discussed above, theindustrial IDE services 802 can translate system project 302 to one ormore appropriate executable files—control program files 702,visualization applications 704, device configuration files 708, systemconfiguration files 812—and deploy these files to the appropriatedevices in the plant facility to facilitate implementation of theautomation project.

As noted above, a system project 302 generated by embodiments of theindustrial IDE system 202 can incorporate a number of automation objects222. FIG. 9 is an illustration of an example automation object 222 thathas been integrated into the project data model 602 of a system project302. As discussed above in connection with FIGS. 4 and 6 , a systemproject 302 can incorporate instances of automation objects 222 thatserve as programmatic representations of industrial assets, processes,or other industrial entities. Assets that can be represented by a givenautomation object 222 can include device-level assets (e.g., motordrives, valves, pumps, etc.) as well as machine-level assets (stampingpresses, tanks, tooling stations, etc.). An automation object 222 canrepresent an off-the-shelf industrial device or machine offered bydevice or equipment vendors, or may comprise custom automation objects222 representing custom-built machines provided by an OEM or anothertype of machine builder.

The project data model 602 can define hierarchical relationships betweenmultiple automation objects 222 that are integrated as part of thesystem project 302. These hierarchical relationships can represent thephysical and/or functional relationships between the represented assets.According to an example relationship, a process automation object 222representing a batch process may be defined as a parent object to anumber of child automation objects 222 representing devices andequipment that carry out the process, such as tanks, pumps, and valves.In another example, an automation object 222 representing a machine orproduction line can be defined as a parent object, under which aredefined a number of child automation objects 222 representing theworkstations or sub-machines within the machine or production line.These child automation objects 222 can themselves have a number of childautomation objects 222 representing the device-level assets that make upthese workstations or sub-machines.

Each industrial object 222 can serve similar functions to those of datatags that serve as containers for input data received from, and outputdata sent to, its corresponding industrial asset (e.g., digital andanalog data values received from the asset for processing by the systemproject 302, as well as digital and analog values generated by thesystem project 302 and sent to the asset). In addition, each industrialobject 222 comprises a number of programmatic attributes relating to theindustrial asset being represented, examples of which are discussedabove in connection with FIG. 4 . These attributes can include, forexample, control logic that can be executed as part of the systemproject 302 to monitor and control the represented assets. Thisassociated control logic can be pre-developed to exchange input andoutput data with its associated industrial asset via defined input andoutput tags corresponding to the asset's physical inputs and outputs(that is, the asset's digital and analog I/O). During execution of thecontrol project 302, the object's control logic can process inputsreceived from the asset and generate outputs directed to the asset basedon results of this processing.

Additionally, the control logic associated with respective differentautomation objects 222 defined by the project data model 602 as having ahierarchical relationship with one another can interact or cooperatebased on these defined relationships. For example, based on a definedhierarchical relationship between a first automation object 222representing a tank (defined as a parent object) and a second automationobject 222 representing a valve associated with the tank (defined as achild of the first object), the system project 302 can link the two setsof control logic associated with the first and second automation objects222, respectively, so that the control logic associated with the twoautomation objects 222 performs coordinated monitoring and control ofthe machine. Linking the two sets of control logic in this manner cancomprise, for example, linking data tags of the child object 222 withcorresponding data tags of the parent object 222 in accordance with thehierarchical relationship defined by the model 602.

Industrial object 222 can also include associated HMI objects that canbe used by a visualization system (e.g., an HMI application, a 2D or 3Daugmented reality or virtual reality system, etc.) to render an animatedgraphical representation of the asset. These HMI objects can include oneor more HMI interface screens designed to render information about theasset (e.g., a reporting screen that renders statistical or operationaldata for the asset, a screen that renders an animated graphicalrepresentation of the asset, etc.), individual graphical objectsrepresenting the asset that can be imported into an industrialvisualization application, or other such objects.

The automation object 222 can also include analytic scripts designed toanalyze data generated by the asset to produce insights into the asset'sperformance or health. Example analytics that can be performed by anautomation object's analytic scripts can include, but are not limitedto, assessments of the asset's current health and predicted futurehealth (e.g., determinations of the asset's predicted time to failure),determinations of when the asset requires maintenance, or other suchmetrics. As with the automation object's control logic, the analyticsscripts can be designed to interface with known data items generated bythe industrial asset (e.g., data tags that are specific to the asset) sothat the data associated with these data items can be processed by thescripts.

The automation object 222 can also define alarm information associatedwith the industrial asset. This alarm information can includedefinitions of the conditions that trigger the alarm (e.g., when aspecified data item representing an operational metric of the assetfalls outside a defined range of normal behavior, when a state of aspecified digital tag satisfies an alarm condition, etc.) as well as analarm message to be rendered in response to the alarm trigger. Thisalarm information can be referenced by a visualization system (e.g., anHMI application, an augmented reality or virtual realty system, etc.),which can render alarm messages for the industrial asset based on thealarm definitions defined by the automation object 222.

Some embodiments of automation object 222 can also define testproperties as part of a global testing framework supported by the IDEsystem 202. These test properties can include object-specific testscripts designed to test and debug the automation object 222 andassociated aspects of system project 302 that reference the object 222.The object's test properties can also include object-specific testscenario definitions that define one or more test scenarios that maybeneficially be run against the automation object 222 and associatedproject elements that reference the object 222. The test scenariodefinitions can be pre-designed based on industrial expertise regardingthe industrial asset or process represented by the automation object222. The test properties associated with automation objects 222 canmitigate the need to write test scripts to test and debug the systemproject 302.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating testing of an example system project302 by the IDE system's project testing component 210 using test scripts1002 bundled with an automation object 222. Automation objects 222 canbe provided with pre-bundled test scripts 1002 and/or definitions oftest scenarios 1004 that are specific to the type of industrial assetrepresented by the automation object 222. During or after development ofsystem project 302 as described above, the IDE system's project testingcomponent 210 can execute test scripts 1002 associated with one or moreselected automation objects 222 as appropriate to verify properresponses of the system project 302, thereby validating the project. Tothis end, test scripts 1002 can define simulated test inputs 1012 to beprovided to the automation object 222 and/or associated project code inwhich the object 222 is used, as well as expected responses of theautomation object 222 and its associated project code to the simulatedinputs 1012.

According to an example testing procedure, project testing component 210can execute one or more test scripts 1002 associated with respective oneor more automation objects 222 against system project 302. Execution ofthe test scripts 1002 can involve, for example, feeding simulated testinputs 1012 to control code or other elements of system project 302according to a sequence defined by the test scripts 1002, setting valuesof digital or analog program variables defined by the system project 302according to a defined sequence, initiating control routines of thesystem project 302 according to a defined sequence, testing animationobjects or other visualization elements defined by the system project302, verifying data linkages between control routines, verifyingrelationships between program elements and drawing elements, confirmingthat device configuration settings or parameter values are appropriatefor a given industrial application being carried out by the systemproject 302, or otherwise interacting with system project 302 accordingto testing procedures defined by the test scripts 1002. During testing,the project testing component 210 can monitor test results 1006 orresponses of the system project 302 to the test interactions defined bythe test scripts 1002 and determine whether these test results 1006match expected results defined by the test scripts 1002. In this way,proper operation of the system project 302 can be verified prior todeployment without the need to develop custom test scripts to debug thesystem project code.

In some test scenarios, test scripts 1002 can define testing sequencesthat are applied to the system project 302 as a whole in a holisticmanner rather than to a specific control program or routine. Forexample, the project testing component 210 can execute test scripts 1002that verify linkages or relationships across design platforms—e.g.,control code, visualization applications, electrical drawings, panellayout definitions, wiring schedules, piping diagrams, etc.—that mayotherwise not be tested.

If the test results 1006 indicate an improper operation of one or moreaspects of system project 302, project testing component 210 maygenerate and render one or more design recommendations 1008 indicatingpossible modifications to the system project 302 that would correctoperation of the project. These design recommendations 1008 may include,for example, control code modifications or replacements, recommendedcorrections of data tag addresses, recommended corrections to HMIgraphical object references, recommended corrections to mechanical orelectrical drawings for consistency with the control code (e.g., to adda missing output device to an electrical drawing corresponding to anoutput device referenced by the control programming), recommendedmodifications to an industrial device's configuration parameters, orother such corrections.

The testing properties of some automation objects 222 may definemultiple test scenarios 1004 that should be run on the object 222 andits corresponding control code and project elements to ensurecomprehensive testing of the object 222 and related code. Thesescenarios 1004 are based on pre-learned industrial expertise relating tothe industrial asset or process represented by the automation objectsand its related project elements. In some implementations, each definedtest scenario 1004 may have its own associated test script 1002, or maydefine a particular way to apply the test script 1002 (e.g., whichroutines of the system project's control code to validate, which otherproject elements should be cross-referenced for validation purposes,etc.). During testing of the system project 302, project testingcomponent 210 can execute the one or more test scripts 1002 inaccordance with each defined test scenario 1004 in sequence in order tocomprehensively validate proper operation of the system project 302across all platforms (control programming, visualization configuration,drawings, device configurations, etc.).

In some embodiments, project testing component 210 can also beconfigured to generate a validation checklist based on analysis of thesystem project 302, and output this validation checklist via the userinterface component 204. This validation checklist can provideinstructions regarding on-site tests and checks that should be performedin connection with commissioning the automation system for which systemproject 302 is being developed. These may comprise tests that should beperformed on the automation system hardware and electrical connectionsthat cannot be performed via testing of the system project 302 alone.Example validation checklist may include lists of I/O points whoseconnectivity should be verified, instructions to visually inspectpanel-mounted equipment, sequences of manual operator panel interactionsthat should be performed to verify proper machine operation, or othersuch information.

Returning to FIG. 9 , an automation object 222 can also include, as anattribute, a historian configuration that defines data generated by thecorresponding industrial asset that is to be archived in a datahistorian. This historian configuration can be referenced by a datahistorian system or application that executes a portion of the systemproject 302 to facilitate configuring the data historian system tocollect and archive the data items defined by the configuration. As withother attributes of the automation object 222, the historianconfiguration attribute can specify a subset of the available datagenerated by the corresponding industrial asset that is known to berelevant to assessments of the asset's performance or health, based onrelevant industry expertise encoded into the object 222.

Some embodiments of the automation object 222 can also define securityfeatures or protocols associated with the associated industrial asset.These security features can include, but are not limited to, definitionsof user roles that are permitted to perform certain actions relative tothe industrial asset, encryption protocols that are to be applied todata generated by the asset, network security protocols to be enforcedfor the asset, or other such security features. The security informationdefined by these embodiments of the automation object 222 can be used bythe system project 302 to regulate access to specified functions of theindustrial asset (e.g., as a function of user role), to configurenetwork devices to support the specified network security protocols, orto configure other security-related devices.

Embodiments of the IDE system 202 can support a development architecturewhereby changes made to an automation object 222 stored in theautomation object library 502 are propagated to instances of thatautomation object 222 that are used in a system project 302. FIG. 11 isa diagram illustrating submission of automation object edits 1102 to theIDE system 202. As noted above, automation objects 222 are maintained inan automation object library 502 (which may be part of memory 220). Viainteraction with user interface component 204 and the associated IDEeditor 224, developers can add selected automation objects 222 from thelibrary 502 to a system project 302 as instances of these automationobjects 222. In the example depicted in FIG. 11 , object 222 a is aninstance of an automation object 222 that has been selected and added tothe system project 302 by the developer. In some scenarios, the projectgeneration component 206 may also automatically select and addautomation objects 222 to the project 302 based on inferences about theautomation system for which the project 302 is being developed (e.g.,based on design goals or engineering drawings submitted to the system202).

The IDE editor 224 can allow a user to modify attributes of selectedautomation objects 222 that are stored in the library 502. To this end,user interface component 204 can generate and deliver user interfaces toa client device 504 (e.g., via an IDE client 514) that allow the user tobrowse the available automation objects 222 and submit edits 1102 toselected objects 222. Any of the attributes described above inconnection with FIG. 9 can be modified in this manner for any of thedefined automation objects 222. For example, a designer may wish tomodify the control code associated with a particular industrial asset(e.g., a pump, a tank, a stamping press, etc.) having a definedautomation object 222 stored in the library 502. Accordingly, the usercan submit edits 1102 directed to the associated automation object 222that update the control code. Such edits can be used to update theoperating sequence or control behavior for the associated industrialasset.

Similarly, the user may submit edits 1102 to update the visualizationproperties of a selected automation object 222; e.g., to replace or edita graphical representation of the corresponding asset. Edits 1102 canalso be submitted to add alarms to, or remove alarms from, the alarmdefinition list associated with an object 222, or to edit existing alarmdefinitions. The security features, test scripts, and analytic codeassociated with an automation object 222 can also be modified bysubmitting appropriate edits 1102.

These edits 1102 are directed to the automation object definitionsmaintained in the automation object library 502. Upon receipt of objectedits 1102 directed to a selected automation object 222 (submitted viauser interface component 204), the project generation component 206updates the target automation object 222 in accordance with the receivededits 1102 to yield an updated automation object 222. This updatedautomation object 222 replaces the previous version of the automationobject 222 in the library 502.

If instances of the automation object 222 that was subject to the edits1102 had been added to an existing system project 302 before the edits1102 were received, project generation component 206 can also update allinstances of the automation object 222 found within the project 302.FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating modification of instances of anautomation object 222 a in accordance with edits 1102 submitted to themaster version of the automation object 222 stored in the library 502.When an automation object 222 in library 502 has been modified asdescribed above, the project generation component 206 identifies allinstances of the automation object 222 a used throughout any systemproject 302 that uses or references the object 222, and propagates themodifications to these instances. This can include updating the controlcode, visualizations, analytics code, security features, or otherattributes to reflect the modifications defined by the edits 1102. Inthis way, all instances of an automation object 222 a automaticallyinherit modifications made to the master version of the automationobject 222 stored in the library 502.

FIG. 12 depicts an example scenario in which the system project 302 isstored on the IDE system 202 itself (e.g., on cloud-based storage if theIDE system 202 is implemented as a cloud service, as depicted in FIG. 8). However, in some embodiments, the IDE system 202 can also propagateautomation object edits to system projects that have been deployed tolocal client devices for local editing. FIG. 13 is a diagramillustrating downloading of a copy of system project 302 from IDE system202 to a local client device 504. In this example, client device 504executes an IDE client 514 that allows the client device 504 to accessthe IDE system's project development tools and environment. The IDEclient 514 can be served to the client device 504 by the IDE system 202or may be a client application installed on client device 504 andconfigured to interface with the IDE system 202. A user can interactwith the IDE client 514 to copy a version 302 ₁ of system project 302from the cloud-based IDE system 202 to the client device's local storagefor local viewing and development. The master copy of the system project302 is maintained on the IDE system 202 after the local version 302 ₁has been copied.

Once copied to the client device 504, a developer can view and edit thelocal version 302 ₁ using project development tools supported by the IDEclient 514. At least some of these development tools can be similar tothose supported by the IDE system 202 described above (see, e.g., FIG. 5). For example, some embodiments of IDE client 514 can support the useof design guardrails to ensure that local edits made to the localversion 302 ₁ of the project—e.g., control program changes, HMImodifications, changes to device configuration parameters, modificationsto automation objects, etc.—comply with internal or external designstandards. As in previous examples, various embodiments of IDE client514 can allow the user to submit edits to the local version 302 ₁ of theproject as one or more of control programming (e.g., ladder logic, DLSprogramming, sequential function charts, structured text, function blockdiagrams, etc.), design changes to visualization applications such asHMIs (e.g., addition, removal, or relocation of graphical objects),industrial device configuration parameter values, or other such designinput.

In an example scenario, a developer may choose to modify an existingsystem project 302 in order to adapt the project 302 for deployment onan automation system having characteristics that deviate from a typicalinstallation, and which necessitate modifications to the system project302. For example, the system project 302 may be designed to program andconfigure a type of standardized automation system built to carry out aparticular industrial function, and which is installed at multiplelocations or facilities of an industrial enterprise. A new installationof this automation system may deviate from standard installations of thesystem in a number of ways, including but not limited to replacement ofone or more devices of the automation system with devices provided by analternative vendor, addition or omission of a workstation, installationmodifications to accommodate physical constraints of the installationlocation, special control requirements that deviate from standardrequirements (e.g., differences in product design, control modificationsto accommodate differences in materials or parts used to manufacture theproduct), or other such deviations. In order to accommodate thesechanges, the developer may download a local version 302 ₁ of the systemproject 302 and implement the necessary modifications on the localversion 302 ₁.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating propagation of automation object editsto a locally stored copy of a system project 302. In this examplescenario, a user at client device 504 b has downloaded a local version302 ₁ of a system project 302 as described above in connection with FIG.13 . The automation object library 502 containing the master versions ofautomation objects 222 remains stored on the cloud platform inassociation with the IDE system 202. As such, any authorized developercan access the automation library 502 to not only add selectedautomation objects 222 to a system project 302, but also to modifyselected automation objects 222 as part of development of a project, orto reflect modifications to the corresponding industrial assetsrepresented by the objects 222. In the example illustrated in FIG. 14 ,a developer at client devices 504 a submits a set of edits 1102 directedto a selected automation object 222 stored on the library 502 (e.g., toupdate the object's control code, visualization representation, testingscripts, etc.). In response to receipt of these edits 1102, the projectgeneration component 206 (not shown in FIG. 14 ) updates the masterversion of the selected automation object 222 stored in the library 502in accordance with the edits 1102.

Moreover, when the edits have been implemented on the selectedautomation object 222, the project generation component 206 alsoidentifies all locally stored and remotely stored versions of any systemprojects 302 that have incorporated instances of the selected automationobject 222. This includes identifying any system projects 302 stored oncloud storage in association with the IDE system 202, as well as anyversions 302 ₁ of the system project 302 that had been downloaded tolocal client devices (e.g., client device 504 b) for local development.In this regard, a collaboration management component 210 may track allinstances of a system project 302 that have been downloaded to localclient devices so that these local versions of the project 302 can beupdated as needed in response to modifications submitted to thecloud-based IDE system 202.

In response to submission of the object edits 1102 and correspondingmodification of the master version of the automation object 222 to whichthe edits 1102 are directed, the project generation component 206 alsodistributes automation object updates 1402 to all IDE clients 514 b onwhich are stored local versions 302 ₁ of a system project 302 that usesthe automation object 222. The updates 1402 reflect the automationobject edits 1102 that were submitted by the developer using clientdevice 504 a and, when executed by the local IDE client 514 b, updateall instances of the automation object 222 in accordance with the edits1102. In this way, updates to an automation object 222 on the objectlibrary 502 are automatically broadcast to all instances of the object222 that are currently used in system projects 302.

In some embodiments, a local developer at client device 504 b may beafforded the option to allow the updates 1402 to be incorporated intotheir local version 3021 of the system project 302, or to declineimplementation of the updates 1402. Accordingly, before updating thelocal versions of the automation object 222, the user interfacecomponent 204 may render information about the object edits 1102 on theuser's client device 504 b, and can also render a prompt for approvalfrom the developer to implement the edits locally. The information aboutthe edits 1102 can comprise, for example, an identity of the automationobject 222 that is affected by the edits and a summary of eachmodification to the object 222 that will be implemented by the edit(e.g., indications of which object attributes will be modified, and howthese attributes will be changed). Based on a review of these edits, thelocal developer may select to implement the updates 1402 on their localversion 302 ₁ or, alternatively, to deny the edits and prevent updates1402 from being implemented on their local version 302 ₁ of the project302.

Automation object library 502 acts as a shared library that can beaccessed by multiple different system projects 302, and that allowsthose projects 302 to reference its stored objects 222. Some embodimentsof IDE system 202 can support creation of multiple shared libraries thatcan be cross-shared across multiple system projects 302. FIG. 15 is adiagram illustrating creation of multiple shared automation objectlibraries 502 that can each be accessed by multiple system projects 302.Although the example shared libraries described herein are depicted asautomation object libraries 502, some embodiments of the IDE system 202can support creation of multiple instances of other types of libraries,including but not limited to code module libraries, visualizationelement libraries, or other libraries of project design components.

In addition to a common shared library 502 a that is made available bythe IDE service provider to all authorized customer entities, IDE system202 allows customer entities or users to create their own custom sharedlibraries 502 and to reference these shared libraries from their ownsystem projects 302. In the example depicted in FIG. 15 , two customerentities—Customers 1 and 2—access the IDE system's development tools tocreate one or more customer-specific shared libraries 502. In somescenarios, developers associated with a given customer entity can createa new custom library (e.g., library 502 b for Customer 1 or library 502d for Customer 2) by modifying or building upon an existing library. Inthe example depicted in FIG. 15 , Customers 1 and 2 have each created acustom shared library 502 b and 502 d, respectively, based on the commonshared library 502 a. A developer may, for example, create a customshared library 502 b that comprises many of the same automation objects222 that are available in the common shared library 502 a, but whichmodifies selected attributes of one or more of the objects 222 relativeto the vendor-provided versions (e.g., via submission of automationobject edits 1102 as discussed above in connection with FIG. 11 ). Inanother example, a developer may create a custom shared library 502 bthat expands the set of automation objects 222 that are available in thecommon shared library 502 b by adding new custom objects 222 thatrepresent custom or proprietary industrial assets that are in service atthe customer's plant facility.

In the example depicted in FIG. 15 , Customer 2 has created a singlecustom shared library 502 d, while Customer 1 has created two differentcustom shared libraries 502 b and 502 c. The first custom shared library502 b has been created as a modified version of the vendor-providedshared library 502 a. The second custom shared library 502 c has beencreated as a modified version of the first custom shared library 502 b;e.g., by modifying attributes of one or more objects 222 stored in thefirst custom library 502 b or by adding new custom objects 222 to theset of objects available in the first custom library 502 b. Any numberof custom shared libraries 502 can be created in this manner for a givencustomer entity, and each shared library 502 can be referenced by one ormore system projects 302 that are either stored on the cloud platform onwhich the IDE system 202 executes or stored locally on client devices504 that remotely access the IDE services. The system 202 allowsdevelopers to set the scope of each custom library 502, such that accessto a custom shared library 502 can be regulated according to industrialenterprise, plant facility, user role, or individual user identities.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating cross-sharing of shared libraries 502according to one or more embodiments. In general, a system project 302being developed using the IDE system 202 can reference any number ofshared libraries 502 that have been created as described above inconnection with FIG. 15 . In the example depicted in FIG. 16 , localversions of two different system projects 302 a and 302 b are beingdeveloped on respective two client devices 504 a and 504 b. These localversions may comprise copies of respective system projects 302 that havebeen downloaded from the IDE system 202 for local development, asdescribed above in connection with FIG. 13 . Each system project 302 aand 302 b is permitted access to one or more of the shared libraries 502on IDE system 202, as defined by a shared library mapping 1602associated with each project 302. A project's shared library mapping1602 defines which shared libraries 502 the project 302 is permitted toaccess, such that developers can select and incorporate objects fromthose shared libraries into the system project 302.

If a system project 302 references a shared library 502, as defined bythe project's shared library mapping 1602, the IDE system 202 willdeliver notifications to the project 302 to alert the project developerof edits, additions, or updates that have been submitted to the sharedlibrary 502. In an example scenario, the user interface component 204will render an edit notification on the project 302 when another usersubmits an edit to the content of the shared library 502, as discussedabove in connection with FIG. 14 . These edits can comprise, forexample, edits to one or more attributes of automation objects 222, oredits to code modules, stored in the shared library 502. The editnotification can display, within the IDE development environmentrendered on the recipient's client device 504, information about theedit, including an identity of the automation object 222 that has beenmodified, a summary of which object attributes have been modified(including the new values of the attributes), an identification of theshared library in which the affected automation object resides, or othersuch information. In some embodiments, the edit notification may alsoinclude design notes that were attached to the edit 1102 by thedeveloper who submitted the edit 1102. These design notes can be used toconvey the developer's reason for the edit, an explanation of designscenarios in which the edited object 222 should be used, or other suchinformation.

In some embodiments, the collaboration management component 212 may alsoanalyze the recipient's system project 302 in view of the object edit todetermine possible impacts on the recipient's system project 302—orimpacts on operation of the automation system to be monitored andcontrolled by the project 302—if the edit were to be propagated toinstances of the object within the project 302. The edit notificationcan include a summary of these possible impacts for review by the user.This analysis may determine, for example, whether implementation of theedit will negatively impact, or improve, a key performance indicator ofthe system project 302 (e.g., product throughput, machine downtime,device lifecycle, energy consumption, etc.).

In some embodiments, the edit notification can take the form of agraphical icon—e.g., a colored dot or other shape—superimposed on ornear a graphical representation of the instance of the affectedautomation object within the user's system project 302. The graphicalicon can convey to the user that the corresponding master copy of theautomation object 222 has been edited in the shared library 502, andthat the user has the option to synchronize the edits to their systemproject 302. In such embodiments, selection of the graphical icon cancause the user interface component 204 to render the information aboutthe object edit discussed above; e.g., on a summary window superimposedon or near the graphical representation of the object instance.

In response to receipt of the edit notification, the recipient can electto either allow the corresponding object updates 1402 to be propagatedto instances of the affected object within the recipient's own systemproject 302, or to decline implementation of the updates 1402 withintheir project 302, as discussed above in connection with FIG. 14 . Insome embodiments, the system 202 can allow the recipient to partially orselectively implement the object updates 1402 by opting to propagate theupdates 1402 only to a selected subset of instances of the affectedobject within the recipient's project 302. In this way, the IDE system202 supports instantiation of multiple different versions of a givenautomation object 222 within a system project 302.

The user interface component 204 can also deliver notifications toprojects 302 that reference a shared library 502 when new objects orcode modules are added to the library 502 by other developers. Thesenotifications can include information about the newly added object 222,including but not limited to an industrial asset represented by the newobject 222, key attributes associated with the object 222, designscenarios in which the new object 222 is intended to be used, or othersuch information.

In some embodiments, the user interface component 204 can render thelibrary update notifications described above in a browsable format. Forexample, if updates are available for one or more of the sharedlibraries 302 referenced by a developer's system project 302, the IDEdevelopment interface may display an icon indicating that the user'sproject 302 is not synchronize with one or more of the shared libraries502. Selection of this icon can render a list of the shared libraries502 that are referenced by the project 302 and which have updates thathave not been synchronized to the developer's project 302. The userinterface component 204 can allow the user to browse the availableupdates via interaction with this list; e.g., by selecting a libraryfrom the list to render the updates that are available in that library502. The user can then review these pending library updates 1402 andselect which of the updates 1402 are to be synchronized to the user'sown project 302. In the case of automation object updates, the user canfurther opt, for each object update, either to apply the update 1402 toall instances of the affected automation object 222 or to apply theupdate to a selected subset of instances within the project 302. In thisway, the IDE system 202 affords the user a high degree of granularitywith regard to synchronization of edits submitted to shared libraries502.

Although the example shared library architecture illustrated in FIG. 16depicts cross-sharing of libraries 502 by system projects 302 that arestored locally on client devices 504 for local development, the sharedlibrary features described above are also applicable in scenarios inwhich the system projects 302 are stored on cloud storage for remotecollaborative development.

Some embodiments of IDE system 202 can also allow developers to createpersonal library content derived from existing content of sharedlibraries 502. As described above with reference to FIG. 15 , developerscan create a custom library as a modified version of a shared library502. Although FIG. 15 depict the resulting new libraries as beingsharable libraries that can be referenced by multiple authorizedprojects 302, the IDE system 202 can also allow a developer to create apersonal custom library in this manner, such that the personal librarycan be referenced only by the developer's own system project 302.

Personal custom libraries can be created in a number of different ways.For example, as discussed above in connection with FIG. 15 , a customlibrary can be created by modifying attributes of one or more objects222 stored in an existing shared library 502 or by adding new customobjects 222 to the set of objects available in the shared library, andsaving the resulting modified library 502 as a new custom library(leaving the original shared library unmodified). The resulting customlibrary can be set to be a sharable library or can be saved as apersonal library referenced only by the developer's own system project302.

Custom personal libraries can also be created based on the content of auser's system project 302 if the objects present in the project 302deviate from those available in existing shared libraries 502. Forexample, when a first developer whose project 302 references a sharedlibrary 502 declines to synchronize edits 1102, or opts to onlypartially synchronizes edits 1102, that were submitted to the sharedlibrary 502 by a second developer, instances of the library's automationobjects 222 used in the first developer's project 302 no longer matchthe corresponding objects 222 available in the shared library 502.Similarly, a user may apply a local edit to an automation object 222used within the system project 302, creating a new version of thatobject 222 that is not found in an existing library 502. In suchscenarios, the first developer can submit an instruction to the IDEsystem 202 to create a new personal custom library 502 comprising theset of automation objects 222 currently being used in the developer'sproject 302, including those that are no longer synchronized with theoriginal shared library 502 from which these objects 222 were imported.Upon receipt of this instruction, the IDE system 202 creates the newpersonal library 502 and maps the new library 502 to the developer'sproject 302, such that new library 502 remains bound to the project 302.If desired, the developer can also set the new library 502 to be ashared library, allowing the library to be accessed by other systemprojects 302.

FIGS. 17 a-17 b illustrate a methodology in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the subject application. While, for purposes ofsimplicity of explanation, the methodology shown herein is shown anddescribed as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciatedthat the subject innovation is not limited by the order of acts, as someacts may, in accordance therewith, occur in a different order and/orconcurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. Forexample, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that amethodology could alternatively be represented as a series ofinterrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, notall illustrated acts may be required to implement a methodology inaccordance with the innovation. Furthermore, interaction diagram(s) mayrepresent methodologies, or methods, in accordance with the subjectdisclosure when disparate entities enact disparate portions of themethodologies. Further yet, two or more of the disclosed example methodscan be implemented in combination with each other, to accomplish one ormore features or advantages described herein.

FIG. 17 a illustrates a first part of an example methodology forpropagating edits to an automation object to instances of the objectused in one or more system projects. Initially, at 1702, industrialdesign data is received at an industrial IDE system from an instance ofa development platform rendered on a client device by the industrial IDEsystem. The industrial design data can be submitted in the form of oneor more of industrial controller programming (e.g., ladder logic,sequential function charts, scripted control code such as an industrialDSL, etc.), HMI screen development input, industrial device or equipmentselections, engineering drawing input, etc. In some embodiments, theindustrial design data can also include completed engineering drawings(e.g., P&ID drawings, electrical drawings, mechanical drawings, etc.),which can be parsed and analyzed by the industrial IDE to identifycomponents of the industrial automation system being designed (e.g.,industrial devices, machines, equipment, conduit, piping, etc.) as wellas functional and physical relationships between these components.

At 1704, an industrial automation system project is generated based onthe design data received at step 1702. As part of the project generationprocess, at least one instance of an automation object selected from alibrary of available automation objects can be included in the project.The automation objects are building blocks for the industrial automationsystem project and represent various types of real-world industrialassets or processes, including but not limited to pumps, tanks, values,motors, motor drives (e.g., variable frequency drives), industrialrobots, actuators (e.g., pneumatic or hydraulic actuators), or othersuch assets. The automation objects are associated with variousattributes or properties as a function of their represented asset orprocess (e.g., control code, visualization objects or interfaces, testscripts, security features or protocols, etc.).

The automation system project comprises one or more executable filesthat can be deployed and executed on at least one of an industrialcontrol device (e.g., a PLC or another type of industrial controldevice), a human-machine interface terminal, or another type ofindustrial device. These files can include, for example, industrialcontrol programming files, visualization application files, deviceconfiguration files, or other such executable or configurationcomponents, at least some of which are generated based on any automationobjects included in the project. The automation system project can alsocomprise other engineering documents generated by the IDE system basedon the design input, including but not limited to engineering drawings(e.g., I/O drawings, electrical drawings, P&ID drawings, etc.), bills ofmaterials, installation instructions, or other such documents.

At 1706, a determination is made as to whether object edit input isreceived defining modifications to one or more attributes of a selectedautomation object stored in the automation library. The edit input maydefine a modification to one or more of the control code, visualizationdefinitions, testing scripts, security protocols, or other attributes ofthe object. The edit may be received from another instance of thedevelopment platform with authorization to access the library ofautomation objects. In this regard, the automation object library servesas a shared library that can be accessed by multiple system projects asa source of vendor-provided or user-defined automation objects. Ifobject edit input is received (YES at step 1706), the methodologyproceeds to step 1508, where the modifications are applied to the one ormore attributes of the selected automation object in the library.

At 1710, a determination is made as to whether an instance of theselected automation object that was modified at step 1708 is included inthe automation system project generated at step 1704. If no instance ofthe modified automation object is found in the automation system project(NO at step 1710), the methodology returns to step 1706. Alternatively,if an instance of the modified automation object is found in theautomation system project (YES at step 1710), the methodology proceedsto the second part 1700 b illustrated in FIG. 17 b.

At 1712, a notification is rendered on the instance of the developmentplatform notifying of the modification to the automation object. Thenotification can include information about the modification, includingbut not limited to an identity of the automation object that wasmodified, indications of which object attributes were modified,locations within the automation system project at which the affectedautomation object is currently being used, an estimated impact onoperation of the automation system project if the modifications were tobe propagated to the instances of the object within the automationsystem project, or other such information.

At 1714, a determination is made as to whether approval is received fromthe instance of the development platform to synchronize the objectmodification to the instance of the selected automation object withinthe automation system project (that is, to apply the edits received atstep 1706 to the local instance of the modified automation object). Ifno such approval is received (that is, a user of the developmentplatform declines to apply the edits to the local automation systemproject) (NO at step 1714), the methodology returns to step 1706.Alternatively, if approval to synchronize the modification is received(YES at step 1714), the methodology proceeds to step 1716, where the oneor more attributes of the automation object that were modified by theedit input are updated in the instance of the automation object withinthe automation system project. In some embodiments, if multipleinstances of the automation object are incorporate into the automationsystem project, the user can opt to apply the modifications only to aselected subset of the instances of the automation object, resulting inmultiple versions of the object within the project.

Embodiments, systems, and components described herein, as well ascontrol systems and automation environments in which various aspects setforth in the subject specification can be carried out, can includecomputer or network components such as servers, clients, programmablelogic controllers (PLCs), automation controllers, communicationsmodules, mobile computers, on-board computers for mobile vehicles,wireless components, control components and so forth which are capableof interacting across a network. Computers and servers include one ormore processors—electronic integrated circuits that perform logicoperations employing electric signals—configured to execute instructionsstored in media such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory(ROM), a hard drives, as well as removable memory devices, which caninclude memory sticks, memory cards, flash drives, external hard drives,and so on.

Similarly, the term PLC or automation controller as used herein caninclude functionality that can be shared across multiple components,systems, and/or networks. As an example, one or more PLCs or automationcontrollers can communicate and cooperate with various network devicesacross the network. This can include substantially any type of control,communications module, computer, Input/Output (I/O) device, sensor,actuator, and human machine interface (HMI) that communicate via thenetwork, which includes control, automation, and/or public networks. ThePLC or automation controller can also communicate to and control variousother devices such as standard or safety-rated I/O modules includinganalog, digital, programmed/intelligent I/O modules, other programmablecontrollers, communications modules, sensors, actuators, output devices,and the like.

The network can include public networks such as the internet, intranets,and automation networks such as control and information protocol (CIP)networks including DeviceNet, ControlNet, safety networks, andEthernet/IP. Other networks include Ethernet, DH/DH+, Remote I/O,Fieldbus, Modbus, Profibus, CAN, wireless networks, serial protocols,and so forth. In addition, the network devices can include variouspossibilities (hardware and/or software components). These includecomponents such as switches with virtual local area network (VLAN)capability, LANs, WANs, proxies, gateways, routers, firewalls, virtualprivate network (VPN) devices, servers, clients, computers,configuration tools, monitoring tools, and/or other devices.

In order to provide a context for the various aspects of the disclosedsubject matter, FIGS. 18 and 19 as well as the following discussion areintended to provide a brief, general description of a suitableenvironment in which the various aspects of the disclosed subject mattermay be implemented. While the embodiments have been described above inthe general context of computer-executable instructions that can run onone or more computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that theembodiments can be also implemented in combination with other programmodules and/or as a combination of hardware and software.

Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, datastructures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciatethat the inventive methods can be practiced with other computer systemconfigurations, including single-processor or multiprocessor computersystems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, Internet of Things (IoT)devices, distributed computing systems, as well as personal computers,hand-held computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmableconsumer electronics, and the like, each of which can be operativelycoupled to one or more associated devices.

The illustrated embodiments herein can be also practiced in distributedcomputing environments where certain tasks are performed by remoteprocessing devices that are linked through a communications network. Ina distributed computing environment, program modules can be located inboth local and remote memory storage devices.

Computing devices typically include a variety of media, which caninclude computer-readable storage media, machine-readable storage media,and/or communications media, which two terms are used herein differentlyfrom one another as follows. Computer-readable storage media ormachine-readable storage media can be any available storage media thatcan be accessed by the computer and includes both volatile andnonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example,and not limitation, computer-readable storage media or machine-readablestorage media can be implemented in connection with any method ortechnology for storage of information such as computer-readable ormachine-readable instructions, program modules, structured data orunstructured data.

Computer-readable storage media can include, but are not limited to,random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), electricallyerasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or othermemory technology, compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), digitalversatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disc (BD) or other optical disk storage,magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, solid state drives or other solid statestorage devices, or other tangible and/or non-transitory media which canbe used to store desired information. In this regard, the terms“tangible” or “non-transitory” herein as applied to storage, memory orcomputer-readable media, are to be understood to exclude onlypropagating transitory signals per se as modifiers and do not relinquishrights to all standard storage, memory or computer-readable media thatare not only propagating transitory signals per se.

Computer-readable storage media can be accessed by one or more local orremote computing devices, e.g., via access requests, queries or otherdata retrieval protocols, for a variety of operations with respect tothe information stored by the medium.

Communications media typically embody computer-readable instructions,data structures, program modules or other structured or unstructureddata in a data signal such as a modulated data signal, e.g., a carrierwave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information deliveryor transport media. The term “modulated data signal” or signals refersto a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changedin such a manner as to encode information in one or more signals. By wayof example, and not limitation, communication media include wired media,such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless mediasuch as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media.

With reference again to FIG. 18 , the example environment 1800 forimplementing various embodiments of the aspects described hereinincludes a computer 1802, the computer 1802 including a processing unit1804, a system memory 1806 and a system bus 1808. The system bus 1808couples system components including, but not limited to, the systemmemory 1806 to the processing unit 1804. The processing unit 1804 can beany of various commercially available processors. Dual microprocessorsand other multi-processor architectures can also be employed as theprocessing unit 1804.

The system bus 1808 can be any of several types of bus structure thatcan further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memorycontroller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety ofcommercially available bus architectures. The system memory 1806includes ROM 1810 and RAM 1812. A basic input/output system (BIOS) canbe stored in a non-volatile memory such as ROM, erasable programmableread only memory (EPROM), EEPROM, which BIOS contains the basic routinesthat help to transfer information between elements within the computer1802, such as during startup. The RAM 1812 can also include a high-speedRAM such as static RAM for caching data.

The computer 1802 further includes an internal hard disk drive (HDD)1814 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), one or more external storage devices 1816(e.g., a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 1816, a memory stick or flashdrive reader, a memory card reader, etc.) and an optical disk drive 1820(e.g., which can read or write from a CD-ROM disc, a DVD, a BD, etc.).While the internal HDD 1814 is illustrated as located within thecomputer 1802, the internal HDD 1814 can also be configured for externaluse in a suitable chassis (not shown). Additionally, while not shown inenvironment 1800, a solid state drive (SSD) could be used in additionto, or in place of, an HDD 1814. The HDD 1814, external storagedevice(s) 1816 and optical disk drive 1820 can be connected to thesystem bus 1808 by an HDD interface 1824, an external storage interface1826 and an optical drive interface 1828, respectively. The interface1824 for external drive implementations can include at least one or bothof Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface technologies. Other externaldrive connection technologies are within contemplation of theembodiments described herein.

The drives and their associated computer-readable storage media providenonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executableinstructions, and so forth. For the computer 1802, the drives andstorage media accommodate the storage of any data in a suitable digitalformat. Although the description of computer-readable storage mediaabove refers to respective types of storage devices, it should beappreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of storagemedia which are readable by a computer, whether presently existing ordeveloped in the future, could also be used in the example operatingenvironment, and further, that any such storage media can containcomputer-executable instructions for performing the methods describedherein.

A number of program modules can be stored in the drives and RAM 1812,including an operating system 1830, one or more application programs1832, other program modules 1834 and program data 1836. All or portionsof the operating system, applications, modules, and/or data can also becached in the RAM 1812. The systems and methods described herein can beimplemented utilizing various commercially available operating systemsor combinations of operating systems.

Computer 1802 can optionally comprise emulation technologies. Forexample, a hypervisor (not shown) or other intermediary can emulate ahardware environment for operating system 1830, and the emulatedhardware can optionally be different from the hardware illustrated inFIG. 18 . In such an embodiment, operating system 1830 can comprise onevirtual machine (VM) of multiple VMs hosted at computer 1802.Furthermore, operating system 1830 can provide runtime environments,such as the Java runtime environment or the .NET framework, forapplication programs 1832. Runtime environments are consistent executionenvironments that allow application programs 1832 to run on anyoperating system that includes the runtime environment. Similarly,operating system 1830 can support containers, and application programs1832 can be in the form of containers, which are lightweight,standalone, executable packages of software that include, e.g., code,runtime, system tools, system libraries and settings for an application.

Further, computer 1802 can be enable with a security module, such as atrusted processing module (TPM). For instance with a TPM, bootcomponents hash next in time boot components, and wait for a match ofresults to secured values, before loading a next boot component. Thisprocess can take place at any layer in the code execution stack ofcomputer 1802, e.g., applied at the application execution level or atthe operating system (OS) kernel level, thereby enabling security at anylevel of code execution.

A user can enter commands and information into the computer 1802 throughone or more wired/wireless input devices, e.g., a keyboard 1838, a touchscreen 1840, and a pointing device, such as a mouse 1842. Other inputdevices (not shown) can include a microphone, an infrared (IR) remotecontrol, a radio frequency (RF) remote control, or other remote control,a joystick, a virtual reality controller and/or virtual reality headset,a game pad, a stylus pen, an image input device, e.g., camera(s), agesture sensor input device, a vision movement sensor input device, anemotion or facial detection device, a biometric input device, e.g.,fingerprint or iris scanner, or the like. These and other input devicesare often connected to the processing unit 1804 through an input deviceinterface 1844 that can be coupled to the system bus 1808, but can beconnected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, an IEEE 1394serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, a BLUETOOTH®interface, etc.

A monitor 1844 or other type of display device can be also connected tothe system bus 1808 via an interface, such as a video adapter 1846. Inaddition to the monitor 1844, a computer typically includes otherperipheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, etc.

The computer 1802 can operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections via wired and/or wireless communications to one or moreremote computers, such as a remote computer(s) 1848. The remotecomputer(s) 1848 can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, apersonal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainmentappliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typicallyincludes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer1802, although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory/storage device1850 is illustrated. The logical connections depicted includewired/wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN) 1852 and/orlarger networks, e.g., a wide area network (WAN) 1854. Such LAN and WANnetworking environments are commonplace in offices and companies, andfacilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all ofwhich can connect to a global communications network, e.g., theInternet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 1802 can beconnected to the local network 1852 through a wired and/or wirelesscommunication network interface or adapter 1856. The adapter 1856 canfacilitate wired or wireless communication to the LAN 1852, which canalso include a wireless access point (AP) disposed thereon forcommunicating with the adapter 1856 in a wireless mode.

When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 1802 can includea modem 1858 or can be connected to a communications server on the WAN1854 via other means for establishing communications over the WAN 1854,such as by way of the Internet. The modem 1858, which can be internal orexternal and a wired or wireless device, can be connected to the systembus 1808 via the input device interface 1842. In a networkedenvironment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 1802 orportions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device1850. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown areexample and other means of establishing a communications link betweenthe computers can be used.

When used in either a LAN or WAN networking environment, the computer1802 can access cloud storage systems or other network-based storagesystems in addition to, or in place of, external storage devices 1816 asdescribed above. Generally, a connection between the computer 1802 and acloud storage system can be established over a LAN 1852 or WAN 1854e.g., by the adapter 1856 or modem 1858, respectively. Upon connectingthe computer 1802 to an associated cloud storage system, the externalstorage interface 1826 can, with the aid of the adapter 1856 and/ormodem 1858, manage storage provided by the cloud storage system as itwould other types of external storage. For instance, the externalstorage interface 1826 can be configured to provide access to cloudstorage sources as if those sources were physically connected to thecomputer 1802.

The computer 1802 can be operable to communicate with any wirelessdevices or entities operatively disposed in wireless communication,e.g., a printer, scanner, desktop and/or portable computer, portabledata assistant, communications satellite, any piece of equipment orlocation associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk,news stand, store shelf, etc.), and telephone. This can include WirelessFidelity (Wi-Fi) and BLUETOOTH® wireless technologies. Thus, thecommunication can be a predefined structure as with a conventionalnetwork or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices.

FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram of a sample computing environment1900 with which the disclosed subject matter can interact. The samplecomputing environment 1900 includes one or more client(s) 1902. Theclient(s) 1902 can be hardware and/or software (e.g., threads,processes, computing devices). The sample computing environment 1900also includes one or more server(s) 1904. The server(s) 1904 can also behardware and/or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices).The servers 1904 can house threads to perform transformations byemploying one or more embodiments as described herein, for example. Onepossible communication between a client 1902 and servers 1904 can be inthe form of a data packet adapted to be transmitted between two or morecomputer processes. The sample computing environment 1900 includes acommunication framework 1906 that can be employed to facilitatecommunications between the client(s) 1902 and the server(s) 1904. Theclient(s) 1902 are operably connected to one or more client datastore(s) 1908 that can be employed to store information local to theclient(s) 1902. Similarly, the server(s) 1904 are operably connected toone or more server data store(s) 1910 that can be employed to storeinformation local to the servers 1904.

What has been described above includes examples of the subjectinnovation. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivablecombination of components or methodologies for purposes of describingthe disclosed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art mayrecognize that many further combinations and permutations of the subjectinnovation are possible. Accordingly, the disclosed subject matter isintended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variationsthat fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In particular and in regard to the various functions performed by theabove described components, devices, circuits, systems and the like, theterms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe suchcomponents are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, toany component which performs the specified function of the describedcomponent (e.g., a functional equivalent), even though not structurallyequivalent to the disclosed structure, which performs the function inthe herein illustrated exemplary aspects of the disclosed subjectmatter. In this regard, it will also be recognized that the disclosedsubject matter includes a system as well as a computer-readable mediumhaving computer-executable instructions for performing the acts and/orevents of the various methods of the disclosed subject matter.

In addition, while a particular feature of the disclosed subject mattermay have been disclosed with respect to only one of severalimplementations, such feature may be combined with one or more otherfeatures of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageousfor any given or particular application. Furthermore, to the extent thatthe terms “includes,” and “including” and variants thereof are used ineither the detailed description or the claims, these terms are intendedto be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”

In this application, the word “exemplary” is used to mean serving as anexample, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design describedherein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the wordexemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion.

Various aspects or features described herein may be implemented as amethod, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programmingand/or engineering techniques. The term “article of manufacture” as usedherein is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from anycomputer-readable device, carrier, or media. For example, computerreadable media can include but are not limited to magnetic storagedevices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic strips . . . ), opticaldisks [e.g., compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD) . . . ],smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., card, stick, key drive . .. ).

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for developing industrial applications,comprising: a memory that stores executable components and sharedlibraries of automation objects representing respective industrialassets, the automation objects having respective programmatic attributesassociated with the industrial assets; and a processor, operativelycoupled to the memory, that executes the executable components, theexecutable components comprising: a user interface component configuredto render integrated development environment (IDE) interfaces and toreceive, via interaction with the IDE interfaces, design input thatdefines aspects of an industrial automation project; and a projectgeneration component configured to generate system project data based onthe design input, the system project data comprising instances of one ormore of the automation objects stored in one or more of the sharedlibraries to which the system project is mapped, wherein the systemproject data defines a system project comprising at least one of anexecutable industrial control program, an industrial visualizationapplication, or industrial device configuration data, and the projectgeneration component is configured to, in response to receipt of an editto an automation object in one of the shared libraries: determinewhether an instance of the automation object is included in the systemproject data, and cause the user interface component to render, via oneor more of the IDE interfaces, a notification indicating that theautomation object has been edited in the library.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the notification comprises at least one of an identity of theautomation object to which the edit is directed, an attribute of theautomation object that is modified by the edit, or an identity of thelibrary in which the automation object resides.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the notification comprises a graphical icon superimposed on agraphical representation of the instance of the automation object withinthe system project.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the projectgeneration component is further configured to, in response to receipt,via interaction with one of the IDE interfaces, of a request tosynchronize the edit, modify the instance of the automation object inthe system project in accordance with the edit.
 5. The system of claim4, wherein the project generation component is configured to, inaccordance with requests received via interaction with one or more ofthe IDE interfaces, synchronize the edit to a selected first subset ofinstances of the automation object less than a total set of instances ofthe automation object included in the system project, and leave aremaining second subset of the instances of the automation objectunmodified.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the project generationcomponent is further configured to, in response to receipt of aninstruction via interaction with one of the IDE interfaces, create acustom library of automation objects as a modified version of one of theshared libraries.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the projectgeneration component is configured to, in accordance with theinstruction, set the custom library as one of a shared libraryaccessible to other system projects or a personal library accessibleexclusively to the system project.
 8. The system of claim 6, wherein theproject generation component is configured to render the custom libraryaccessible exclusively to other system projects associated with a sameindustrial enterprise as that of the system project.
 9. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the system project is mapped to multiple libraries ofthe shared libraries.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the editmodifies an attribute of the automation object, the attribute comprisingleast one of control code for monitoring and controlling an industrialasset represented by the automation object, a visualization object thatdefines a graphical visualization of the industrial asset, an alarmdefinition for the industrial asset, a security feature of theindustrial asset, a security protocol of the industrial asset, a testscript configured to validate operation of the automation object withinthe system project, or an analytic script configured to perform ananalysis on data generated by the industrial asset.
 11. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the automation objects represent, as the industrialassets, at least one of an industrial process, a controller, a controlprogram, a tag within the control program, a machine, a motor, a motordrive, a telemetry device, a tank, a valve, a pump, an industrial safetydevice, an industrial robot, or an actuator.
 12. A method for developingindustrial applications, comprising: rendering, by a system comprising aprocessor, integrated development environment (IDE) interfaces on aclient device; receiving, by the system via interaction with the IDEinterfaces, design input that defines aspects of an industrial controland monitoring project; generating, by the system, system project databased on the design input, the system project data comprising instancesof one or more of the automation objects stored in one or more sharedlibraries of automation objects, wherein the generating comprisesgenerating at least one of an executable industrial control program, anindustrial visualization application, or industrial device configurationdata; and in response to receipt of an edit to an automation object in alibrary of the shared libraries: determining, by the system, whether aninstance of the automation object is included in the system projectdata, and rendering, by the system via one or more of the IDEinterfaces, a notification indicating that the automation object hasbeen edited in the library.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein therendering of the notification comprises rendering at least one of anidentity of the automation object to which the edit is directed, anattribute of the automation object that is modified by the edit, or anidentity of the library in which the automation object resides.
 14. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the rendering of the notification comprisesrendering a graphical icon on or near a graphical representation of theinstance of the automation object.
 15. The method of claim 12, furthercomprising, in response to receipt, via interaction with one of the IDEinterfaces, of a request to synchronize the edit, modifying, by thesystem, the instance of the automation object in accordance with theedit.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in accordance withrequests received via interaction with one or more of the IDEinterfaces, synchronizing, by the system, the edit to a selected firstsubset of instances of the automation object less than a total set ofinstances of the automation object included in the system project data.17. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to receiptof an instruction via interaction with one of the IDE interfaces,creating, by the system, a custom library of automation objects as amodified version of one of the shared libraries.
 18. The method of claim17, wherein the creating comprises setting, in accordance with theinstruction, the custom library as one a shared library accessible toother system projects or a personal library accessible exclusively tothe system project.
 19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium havingstored thereon instructions that, in response to execution, cause asystem comprising a processor to perform operations, the operationscomprising: rendering integrated development environment (IDE)interfaces on a client device; receiving, from the client device viainteraction with the IDE interfaces, design input that defines controldesign aspects of an industrial automation project; generating systemproject data based on the design input, wherein the generating comprisesgenerating at least one of an executable industrial control program, anindustrial visualization application, or industrial device configurationdata, and the system project data comprises instances of automationobjects selected from one or more shared libraries of automationobjects, the automation objects representing respective industrialassets and having respective programmatic attributes relating to theindustrial assets; and in response to receipt of an edit to anautomation object in a library of the shared libraries: determiningwhether an instance of the automation object is included in the systemproject data, and rendering, via one or more of the IDE interfaces, anotification indicating that the automation object has been edited inthe library.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim19, wherein the rendering of the notification comprises rendering atleast one of an identity of the automation object to which the edit isdirected, an attribute of the automation object that is modified by theedit, or an identity of the library in which the automation objectresides.